Ear Protector

ABSTRACT

A flexible ear protector for protecting the outer ear from heat, chemicals, or sharp objects, using a curling iron, hot comb, blow dryer, scissors, to style hair having a body portion, a front opening for receiving a human ear, a proximate opening, a distal opening, a cavity for receiving a human ear, and a reinforced perimeter for exerting force upon the body portion thereby returning the body portion from a second position to a first position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/501,321, filed on Jun. 27, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

In order to curl a person's hair using a curling iron or similar instrument, locks of hair are rolled around the curling iron. While curling a person's hair, it is desirable to get as close to the scalp as possible. The ear, specifically the helix given its proximity to the hair, is often burned while curling a person's hair. In addition to the initial pain, burns can become infected and at times even leave a permanent scar. In view of the aforementioned considerations, there is a need for ear protectors which are especially suitable for patrons who have their hair hot curled, either by themselves or by a profession, to avoid ear burns.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure pertains to an ear protector having a body portion with an interior surface, a front opening for receiving a human ear, a proximate opening, a distal opening, and a cavity for receiving a human ear.

In one aspect of the disclosure, the body portion has an elastomer. In one aspect of the disclosure, the body portion has silicone. In one aspect of the disclosure, the body portion is heat resistant. In one aspect of the disclosure, the body portion has a generally C-shape. In one aspect of the disclosure, the body protector is flexible about an axis a. In one aspect of the disclosure, the interior surface of the body portion is a friction surface for reducing slippage between the body portion and the ear.

In one aspect of the disclosure, the cavity has a shape that complements a human ear. In one aspect of the disclosure, the proximate opening allows for the ear protector to rest substantially flush to the back surface of the base of the outer ear. In one aspect of the disclosure, the proximate opening allows for greater elongation and flexibility of the ear protector. In one aspect of the disclosure, the distal opening prevents the user from hearing a decreased the level of sound. In one aspect of the disclosure, the distal opening allows for greater elongation and flexibility of the ear protector.

In one aspect of the disclosure, the body portion has a back portion, left sidewall, and right sidewall, wherein the thickness of the material of the back portion is greater than the thickness of the material of the left sidewall or the right sidewall. In one aspect of the disclosure, the greater thickness of the back portion provides for an increased protection of the ear. In one aspect of the disclosure, the greater thickness of the back portion provides for an increased stability of the ear protector.

In one aspect of the disclosure, the ear protector has a reinforced perimeter for exerting force upon the body portion thereby returning the body portion from a second position to a first position.

With those and other objects, advantages and features on the invention that may become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims, and the drawings attached hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an ear protector according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 a is a perspective view of an ear protector according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 b is a perspective view of an ear protector according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an ear protector according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an ear protector according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the use of an ear protector according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

The present disclosure pertains to an ear protector 100 configured to allow appropriate elongation and flexibility, which will then accommodate beneficial use by the user. As shown in FIG. 1, the ear protector 100 includes a flexible body portion 110 where the body portion 110 is substantially C-shaped or convex that complements the shape of a human ear. The ear protector 100 allows for the outer ear or the pinna of a user, including the lobule, helix, anti-helix, tragus, anti-tragus, or the like, to be protected from heat, chemicals, sharp objects, or the like, that can result in burns or cuts while the user's hair is being styled by using a curling iron, flat irons, hot rollers, hot comb, blow dryer, scissors, or the like.

The term “flexible” refers to an object or material that is able to be bent or flexed. The use of the term flexible in connection with a material of the present disclosure generally refers to a material made from any suitable soft elastic or semi-rigid material such as thermoplastic materials or curable elastomeric materials that allow for the ear protector 100 to be at least stretched or elongated without plastic deformation of the material. The term “elastomer” refers generally to a polymeric material that has rubberlike properties. More specifically, most elastomers have elongation rates greater than 100% and a significant amount of resilience. The resilience of a material refers to the material's ability to recover from an elastic deformation. Examples of elastomers include, without limitation, natural rubbers, polyisoprene, styrene butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, polybutadiene, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polysulfide rubber, polyurethane, and silicones.

Silicone generally is a flexible material that is widely used for gaskets, heat shields, fire stops, seals, cushions and insulation. Hardened silicone has a high temperature resistance, excellent sealability, UV and ozone resistance, and excellent recovery after compression. Furthermore, silicone is extremely resilient to mechanical fatigue, meaning that the material can be flexed repeatedly without losing strength or elasticity. Because of this and its low toxicity, silicone is an excellent choice for ear protectors 100.

In some embodiments, the mechanical properties and/or physical properties of the material can be modified or improved by adding one or more non-silicon containing rubber materials, such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber or a combination thereof. Some non-limiting examples of suitable synthetic rubbers include the butadiene polymers such as polybutadiene; isobutylene rubber (butyl rubber); ethylene-propylene rubber; neoprene (polychloroprene); polyisoprene; copolymers of 1,3-butadiene or isoprene with monomers such as styrene, acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate; ethylene/propylene/diene (EPDM) rubbers such as ethylene/propylene/dicyclopentadiene terpolymers. Non-limiting examples of suitable butadiene polymers include those polymers having rubber-like properties, prepared by polymerizing butadiene alone or with one or more other polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated compounds, such as styrene, methylstyrene, methyl isopropenyl ketone and acrylonitrile.

Optionally, the material may comprise one or more suitable additives such as cross-linking or curing agents, colorants (e.g., pigments and dyes), cosmetic agents (e.g. glitter and sparkles), catalysts, fillers, reinforced materials, dispersants, surfactants, wetting agents, coupling agents, lubricants, accelerators, rheology modifiers, thickeners, adhesion promoters, plasticizers, age resisters, anti-oxidants, antifoaming agents, blocking agents, antistatic agents, anti-mildew agents, handling agents, acid acceptors, UV stabilizers, anti-adhesive agents, blowing agents, fire retardants, desiccants, and the like. The mechanical properties such as compression set, tensile strength and flexibility of the material disclosed herein can be adjusted by controlling, inter alia, the type and amount of the silicon-containing polymer, the curing agent, the filler and/or the reinforced material.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, the body portion 110 has a first portion 111 and a second portion 112 separated by axis α where the first portion 111 is located above the axis α and the second portion 112 is located below the axis α. The body portion 110 has a back portion 121 that engages in a substantially normal manner a left sidewall 122, a right sidewall 123, an upper sidewall 124 substantially normal to the left sidewall 122, the right sidewall 123 and the back portion 121, and a lower sidewall 125 substantially normal to the left sidewall 122, the right sidewall 123, and back portion 121. The back portion 121 can be curvilinear shaped, for example, without limitation, substantially C-shaped, or the like. In one embodiment, the back portion 121 can have a greater thickness than the left sidewall 122 or right sidewall 123 to increase the protection of the ear against heat, chemicals, sharp objects, or the like. In one embodiment, the back portion 121 can have a greater thickness than the left sidewall 122 or right sidewall 123 to increase the stability of the ear protector 100, thereby maintaining the shape of the cavity 132.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, and 3, the ear protector 100 has a front opening 131 opposite the back portion 121, where the front opening 131 is juxtaposed between the upper sidewall 124 and the bottom sidewall 125. In one embodiment, the front opening 131 leads to a cavity 132 created by the positioning of the left sidewall 122, right sidewall 123, upper sidewall 124, lower sidewall 125, and back portion 121. The cavity 132 can have an upper portion 133 and a lower portion 134. The cavity 132 is designed to receive the ear of the user, where the upper portion 133 receives the helix and the lower portion 134 receives the lobule. In one embodiment, the cavity has a shape that complements a human ear.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the ear protector 100 has a proximate opening 141 for allowing the ear protector 100 to rest substantially flush to the back surface of the base of the outer ear, where the base of the outer ear is the portion of the outer ear that engages the head. In one embodiment, the proximate opening 141 allows for greater elongation and flexibility of the ear protector 100. The proximate opening 141 can be positioned on the left sidewall 122 or right sidewall 123 depending on which ear of the user the ear protector 100 is positioned. For example, where the ear protector 100 is positioned on the left ear, the proximate opening 141 is located on the left sidewall 122.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the ear protector 100 has a distal opening 142 for preventing the user from hearing a muffled sound or decreased the level of sound or auditory level received by the outer ear. In one embodiment, the distal opening 142 allows for greater elongation and flexibility of the ear protector 100. The distal opening 142 can be positioned on the left sidewall 122 or right sidewall 123 depending on which ear of the user the ear protector 100 is positioned. For example, where the ear protector 100 is positioned on the left ear, the distal opening 142 is located on the right sidewall 123.

In one embodiment, the perimeter of the left sidewall 122 outlining either the proximate opening 141 or distal opening 142, the perimeter of the right sidewall 123 outlining either the proximate opening 141 or the distal opening 142, the perimeter of the upper sidewall 124 and bottom sidewall 125 outlining the front opening 131, or any combination thereof has a reinforced perimeter 200. The reinforced perimeter 200 is an increased thickness of material. As shown in FIG. 5, this reinforced perimeter 200 acts as a spring which exerts a force upon the body portion 110 returning the body portion 110 to a first position after at least one force is applied to the body portion 110 which positions the ear protector 100 in a second position.

For example, the body portion 110 can be elongated allowing the body portion 110 to be slipped over an ear. A force is applied to the body portion 110 elongating the front opening 131 so that the length of the front opening 131 is longer or substantially longer than the distance between the tip of the lobule and the apex of the helix. The cavity 132 of the body portion 110 receives the ear allowing for the body portion 110 to overlay the ear. The force is released and the reinforced perimeter 200 causes the body portion 110 to contract around the ear including the lobule and helix portions of the ear.

By way of another example, where the first portion 111 and second portion 112 are in a first position as shown in FIG. 5, a rotating force is applied to the first portion 111 thereby rotating the first portion 111 away from the second portion 112 about axis α and a rotating force is applied to the second portion 112, thereby rotating the second portion 112 away from the first portion 111 about axis α, positioning the first portion 111 and second portion 112 in a second position, and increasing the size of the front opening 131. Upon releasing the opposite forces on the first portion 111 and second portion 112, the reinforced perimeter 200 exhibits a force on the first portion 111 and second portion 112 thereby rotating the first portion 111 toward the second portion 112 about axis α and the second portion 112 toward the first portion 111 about the axis α, and returning the first portion 111 and second portion 112 to their first position. The cavity 132 of the ear protector 100 receives the ear allowing for the ear protector 100 to overlay the ear. The forces are released and the reinforced perimeter 200 causes the ear protector 100 to contract around the ear including the lobule and helix portions of the ear. The axis α can be located at any position along the body portion 110 as shown in FIG. 5. In one embodiment, the reinforced perimeter 200 allows for increased stability of the ear protector 100, thereby maintaining the shape of the cavity 132.

The choice of material for the ear protector 100 (e.g., silicone or the like) provides a friction surface on the interior surfaces of the ear protector 100, for example, the interior surface of the back portion 121, left sidewall 122, right sidewall 123, upper sidewall 124, bottom sidewall 125, or any combination thereof. The friction surface reduces slippage of the ear protector 100 when placed over the ear of the user.

The materials disclosed herein can be used to prepare ear protectors 100 by known polymer processing techniques such as extrusion, injection molding, rotational molding, and molding. Preferably, the entire ear protector 100 is molded into one piece.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein may include wirelessly connected or coupled. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

The foregoing has described the principles, embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments described above, as they should be regarded as being illustrative and not as restrictive. It should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. 

1. An ear protector comprising: a body portion with an interior surface, a front opening for receiving a human ear, a proximate opening, a distal opening, and a cavity for receiving a human ear.
 2. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises an elastomer.
 3. The ear protector of claim 2, wherein the body portion comprises silicone.
 4. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the body portion is heat resistant.
 5. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises a generally C-shape.
 6. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein body protector is flexible about an axis α.
 7. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the interior surface of the body portion is a friction surface for reducing slippage between the body portion and the ear.
 8. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the cavity has a shape that complements a human ear.
 9. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the proximate opening allows for the ear protector to rest substantially flush to the back surface of the base of the outer ear.
 10. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the proximate opening allows for greater elongation and flexibility of the ear protector.
 11. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the distal opening prevents the user from hearing a decreased the level of sound.
 12. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the distal opening allows for greater elongation and flexibility of the ear protector.
 13. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the body portion further comprises a back portion, left sidewall, and right sidewall, wherein the thickness of the material of the back portion is greater than the thickness of the material of the left sidewall or the right sidewall.
 14. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the greater thickness of the back portion provides for an increased protection of the ear.
 15. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the greater thickness of the back portion provides for an increased stability of the ear protector.
 16. The ear protector of claim 1, wherein the ear protector further comprises a reinforced perimeter for exerting force upon the body portion where the force returns the body portion from a second position to a first position. 